Subject: Re: Eagles are being killed for profit
Date: Nov 25 13:11:12 1996
From: Burton Guttman - guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu



Dennis Paulson wrote about the sting operation that caught people dealing
in eagle parts and concluded,

> If there is a Native American (or non-native or non-American) reading this
> who wishes to argue that this is all just A-OK, feel free to try. I'm
> hopping mad about this!

I was hopping mad about it, too, when I heard the report on NPR a few days
ago. But I want to be sure we know where our anger should be directed.
>From the NPR report and the report Dennis sent on, my impression is that
this is not primarily something being done by Native Americans for their
religious purposes but, rather, a trade being carried out by non-Indians
to feed the desires of other people to have "authentic" Native American
artifacts. The NPR report was mostly an interview with one of the women
from FWS who was involved in the operation, and I don't think she
mentioned Native Americans as being involved. But I get a message of
mixed guilt here. For instance,

> >Posing as traders of Indian artifacts, undercover agents were
> >able to infiltrate a commercial trapping ring. They were told
> >that in one pueblo during last year's winter migration, more than
> >60 eagles were intentionally killed . . .

and later:

> >The
> >investigation revealed that the illegal feathers were being sold
> >to make popular Native American-style items such as fans, Kachina
> >dolls, and bustles. Many of these items were sold to trading
> >posts, collectors, tourists, and individuals participating in
> >pow-wows.

So apparently at least some Native Americans are involved in both the
selling and the buying, but I'd like to get more information about the
extent to which this is either an Indian or an Anglo operation. Does
anyone know more?

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 360-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 360-866-6794

Reunite Gondwanaland!